The appropriate selection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who are eligible for transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains a challenge. The ART score has recently been proposed as a ...method of identifying patients who are eligible or not for a second TACE procedure.
To assess the validity of the Assessment for Retreatment with TACE (ART) score in a cohort of patients treated with drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE).
to identify clinical determinants associated with overall survival (OS).
A retrospective, multicentre study conducted in Spain in patients with HCC having undergone two or more DEB-TACE procedures between January 2009 and December 2014. The clinical characteristics and OS from the day before the second DEB-TACE of patients with a high ART score (ART≥2.5) and a low ART score (ART 0-1) were compared. Risk factors for mortality were identified using Cox's proportional hazards model.
Of the 102 patients included, 51 scored 0-1.5 and 51 scored ≥2.5. Hepatitis C was more frequent in patients scoring ≥2.5. Median OS from the day before the second DEB-TACE was 21 months (95% CI, 15-28) in the group scoring 0-1.5, and 17 months (95% CI, 10-25) in the group scoring ≥2.5 (P=0.3562). Platelet count and tumour size, but not the ART score, were independent baseline predictors of OS.
The ART score is not suitable for guiding DEB-TACE retreatment according to Spanish clinical practice standards.
Triple terapia en el virus de la hepatitis C Fernández Castroagudín, Javier; Molina Pérez, Esther
Revista española de enfermedades digestivas,
12/2013, Letnik:
105, Številka:
10
Journal Article
GIDEON is a non-interventional, prospective, international study that evaluated the safety of sorafenib in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in daily clinical practice, ...including Child-Pugh B patients.
To analyze data collected in Spain on the safety and efficacy of sorafenib and treatment patterns.
Data were collected during follow-up on demographic and disease characteristics, the initial dose used, treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) and dose modifications. Overall survival was evaluated, as well as time to disease progression. Efficacy and safety were analyzed according to the Child-Pugh classification and the initial dose.
We included 143 patients from 19 Spanish hospitals. A total of 24.5% of the patients were Child-Pugh B. An initial dose of 400 mg/12 h was used in 90.9% of patients. In Child-Pugh A patients, dose modifications occurred more frequently and the treatment duration was longer. The incidence of AEs and drug-related AEs were similar in Child-Pugh A and B patients, although serious AEs were more frequent in Child-Pugh B patients. The most common AEs were diarrhea, fatigue and hand-foot skin reactions. The median overall survival was 384 days and was higher in Child-Pugh A patients (593 vs. 211 days in Child-Pugh B). The median time to disease progression was 177 days, similar in both subgroups.
The safety profile of sorafenib in Spanish patients with unresectable HCC is independent of liver function. Child-Pugh status does not seem to influence the approach to sorafenib dosage or time to progression but does seem to be a strong prognostic factor for survival.
Although active immunization against the hepatitis B virus (HBV) through vaccination constitutes a fundamental strategy in the prevention of infection by this virus, it is not effective in isolation ...for preventing de novo HBV infections in recipients of liver grafts from core antigen antibody (anti-HBc) positive donors. In this situation, the risk of developing de novo hepatitis B depends on the recipient's serological status. It has been shown that, for vaccinated patients and in the absence of prophylaxis with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues and/or hyperimmune gamma globulin, the prevalence and cumulative incidence of HBV infection after transplantation is an intermediate risk. The absence of a surface antigen antibody (anti-HBs) titer cutoff considered protective, the gradual reduction of these titers after vaccination, the presence of false positives for anti-HBs in patients undergoing infusion of blood products and escape mutations of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) could explain this lack of efficacy. For this reason, it is recommended that vaccination protocols be implemented universally, along with the follow-up of the level of protection in patients with cirrhosis, adding prophylaxis with analogues when receiving a graft from an anti-HBc-positive donor. Clinical and serological surveillance alone can be considered for patients with anti-HBs levels greater than 200 mUI/mL after vaccination.
Percutaneous ablation procedures are minimally invasive treatments for unresectable early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). These techniques are usually safe, but rare and even fatal ...complications have been described. We present a fatal result after percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) for the treatment of a recurrent HCC in a non-cirrhotic liver, with subsequent development of diffuse cholangitis and multiple liver abscesses. Although percutaneous drainage and intensive antibiotic treatment were employed, the patient finally died. We discuss about the etiology and the physiopathology of this rare complication in which the therapeutic options are limited and usually unsuccessful.
Triple terapia en el virus de la hepatitis C Fernández Castroagudín, Javier; Molina Pérez, Esther
Revista española de enfermedades digestivas,
12/2013, Letnik:
105, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors, everolimus (EVL) and sirolimus are immunosuppressive agents with a minor nephrotoxic effect, limited to the development of proteinuria in some cases. ...The combination of EVL and low-dose tacrolimus has proven to be as safe and effective as standard therapy with tacrolimus for the prevention of acute cellular rejection. Early initiation of EVL-based immunosuppressive regimens with reduced exposure to calcineurin inhibitors has been shown to significantly improve renal function of LT recipients during induction and maintenance phases, with comparable efficacy and safety profiles. In patients with established kidney failure, initiating EVL may enable clinicians to reduce calcineurin inhibitors exposure, thereby contributing to the improved renal function of these patients. Although there is not sufficient evidence to recommend their use to prevent the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and the progression of de novo tumours, they are used in this context in routine clinical practice.
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